


Heart stains on the carpet

by nyaladin



Category: Miss Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Bad Writing, F/F, Hanahaki Disease, Pining Sherlock
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-02
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2020-04-06 17:49:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19067593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nyaladin/pseuds/nyaladin
Summary: The first time she coughed, she blamed it on the windy weather on top of the building where she had stood barefoot. It definitely wasn’t because that evening Wato asked her if she had ever been in love.[hiatus; will be rewritten]





	Heart stains on the carpet

**Author's Note:**

> the title is rudely stolen from a kiribaku fic by cityboys (https://archiveofourown.org/works/7085671). It's a good fic, go read it! :D
> 
> bad english ahead, enjoy!

The first time she coughed, she blamed it on the windy weather on top of the building where she had stood barefoot. It definitely wasn’t because that evening Wato asked her if she had ever been in love.

She could have caught a common cold, she rationalized to herself, it's just coughing and a sore throat. Nothing to worry about.

After all, at the beginning, the petals never show.

 

Soon, the coughing became a permanent occurrence. It seemed to never leave. First thing after waking up was coughing. She coughed during the morning coffee, during cases, coughing fits found her seconds before falling asleep.

People took notice, of course, they did. Reimon sent her worried looks, Kento scheduled an appointment at the doctor's, Mrs Hatano made her warm milk with honey. „Good for the sore throat,” she had said and pushed the mug in Sherlock's face.

Wato complained. Said that it’s because she doesn't dress appropriately for the weather. „Always going around with an open coat! No scarf nor hat! You need to take care of yourself!” she cried.

Next day, after Wato left for work, Sherlock found a thick scarf placed lovingly on the coffee table with a threatening note that read: „ _If you can't take care of yourself, I will!_ ".

Sherlock coughed.

 

 

The doctor's greying hair suggested a troublesome life. Marital problems, a teenage child in a rebellious phase, and a small dog that still bit his shins despite it being four years after it was brought home from the shelter.

The doctor asked her about what was happening. He ran the regular tests. Checked the blood pressure, listened to her breathing, looked inside her mouth.

„Your vitals are ok," he concluded, "but, miss Futaba, there might be something growing in your lungs…”

„Growing? You can’t be suggesting…”

„Did you cough up anything? Strangely-coloured phlegm? Blood?" He paused for a second, taking a good look at his patient. "Petals maybe?”

Sherlock stood up from her chair, taking offence at the sheer implication that she...

„No, and there is no way that I—„

He pushed a brochure across the desk. It was blue and folded in half. Big blocky letters stated „The Hanahaki disease”.

„Please, think about it. Once you start spitting petals, you'll have entered stage two, after that the disease progresses faster. I'm sure you're aware that it can be fatal unless treated." He handed her a pamphlet and turned to the monitor on his desk. "Read about it. Knowledge can't hurt you. I’ll schedule you for next month, hopefully, you’ll have made up your mind by then.”

She grabbed the brochure and left the office without another word. Outside, she called Kento who drove her home. He didn't ask but he saw the paper clutched in her hand and kept giving her sideglances during the ride. Once the car stopped before 221B, she started:

"I'm not-"

"Never said you were."

"You were thinking it."

"What was that you were saying about unlikely truth?"

She got out of the car and slammed the door, wishing it would break.

 

"Ah, Sherlock! What did the doctor say?" asked Mrs Hatano from the kitchen, once she heard the detective enter the house.

Startled at the sound, Sherlock furrowed her forehead and hid the pamphlet behind her back. The landlady couldn't see it through the walls, of course, but she was a noisy woman and Sherlock didn’t feel like taking (more) risks today.

"He said I need to rest, and nobody must disturb me."

"Ah, very well! But come for dinner, you can’t keep eating those takeouts of yours!"

Sherlock hummed and climbed upstairs. She threw herself on the bed, the leaflet in one hand, the phone in the other.

"Hanahaki disease", she murmured, eyes on the brochure.

She naturally has learnt about it in school. The Hanahaki disease was one of the most common death causes before the invention of the removal surgery. Not as many people died because of it nowadays but it wasn’t unheard of.  _„Knowledge can’t hurt you”, what a witless thing to say! People die because they know things they shouldn’t everyday!_ And yet, Sherlock curiously unfolded the brochure.

" _The Hanahaki Disease is the fifth most common illness and the thirtieth most common cause of death as of 2016. The fatality decreased due to medical advancements, however, it used to range in the top five most fatal illnesses before 1993._

_The Hanahaki Disease is caused by a flower-like parasite, appearing once the person one-sidedly falls in love. It settles in the lungs and can live there for up to two years._

_The doctors recognize four stages of Hanahaki:_

_**STAGE 1.** The infected person starts coughing. The dry coughing is often accompanied by sore throat and headaches. Due to the symptoms, the first stage is often mistaken for a common cold.  On the contrary to the common cold, the coughing increases when the subject's person of affection is in close proximity or overly present in the thoughts of the infected. This stage is usually the longest one._

_**STAGE 2.** The second stage can be triggered by the realization of the feelings being unrequired or the intense feeling of jealousy. The coughing turns wet and lancinating. The sick may cough up blood and phlegm, but what is particular for this stage, they will definitely cough up petals. The shape and size of petals vary from person to person, most said it reminded them of the person of affection. The sick will experience fatigue, breathlessness and decreased stamina. The parasite will have taken up 1/3 of the lungs by the end of this stage and will progress at a rapid pace.  Please seek help immediately._

_**STAGE 3.** The sick coughs up and vomits flowers in full bloom, often losing a lot of blood during it. The third stage can be fatal, if not treated._

_**STAGE 4.** The disease takes up most of the lungs halting the sick’s ability to breathe, resulting in death._

_**Treatment:** Most cases of the Hanahaki Disease are fully cured with the removal surgery. The surgery removes the Hanahaki parasite, along with the memories of the person of affection as well as the ability of ever loving this person again. The other cure for Hanahaki is to have the feelings truly reciprocated, the feelings must be of romantic nature and cannot be forced._"

Sherlock grinned. She wasn't in love. So, she couldn't have it. Ha, what did that doctor think! There is no way she would allow her intellectual productivity to be hampered with something so imprudent as love!

"Sherlock, come downstairs, help me set the table!" shouted Mrs Hatano from below. "Wato will come home anytime now and the rice is almost done!"

Sherlock coughed.


End file.
